Making Mascots Matter

We’re all aware of the situation: you’re walking down a busy high street, counting down your shopping list, when suddenly, a lady with a handful of fliers bombards your introspective thoughts with a sales pitch. This is all well and good from companies like Coca-Cola with their freebies, but if your product isn’t going to grab the punter’s attention as quickly as a free can of fizz, then you might need something extra.

Breeze People provide Livingsocial with a Great Mascot

INTRODUCING MASCOTS

Mascots are a great way to get your company branding noticed on a busy street. Potential customers can see them from miles away, and they’re just weird enough that people are curious to see what the fuss is about, without being creeped out by them.

Due to their attractiveness on the high street, mascots can be a smart way for you to increase brand awareness. Do you think that you could be distracted enough to ignore this figure popping up on your local high street?

Even if potential customers don’t interact with your mascot initially, they will at least be aware of your brand. The next time that they see you or your shop – whether on the high street or online – they will recognise you as a familiar brand. This could be the tipping point when it comes to whether someone decides to purchase from you or a competitor.

Next, we’ll look at some companies which have increased their brand loyalty with the help of mascots.

NINTENDO – PIKACHU MASCOTS

In Japan, mascots are called yuru-chara, meaning soft characters. Perhaps the most famous use of this known to the West are Nintendo’s hordes of Pikachu mascots which have been known to flash mob on occasion.

There’s strength in numbers, and their coordination only adds to their appeal. The Pikachu parade is one show of mascots done correctly. It is always useful to have helpers alongside your team of mascots, because those in mascot suits may occasionally need assistance or direction. Coordinating your promo staff’s fashion to mimic your mascots will create a cohesive image that sells your branding.

CLEANING PRODUCTS – MR MUSCLE

You may have been thinking that Nintendo caters towards child audiences, so obviously, a well-organised team of furry mascots is going to be successful in a way that might not carry across when trying to promote an estate agency, furniture sellers, or anything else that is undeniably a product for grown-ups.

However, you might be surprised to realise that plenty of companies are utilising mascots to sell a wide range of products, from games and drinks, to cleaning products.

Mr Muscle is a popular figure that most of us would recognise from his appearances on TV adverts, in addition to his image on many of the Mr Muscle cleaning products.

NFL – THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Mascots can even add to experiences, making them more memorable for spectators. The American Football League teams make extensive use of their mascots, but they’re not the only experience bolstering their product with mascots; Japan has previously been known to use cute mascots in order to encourage young people to vote.

The Jacksonville Jaguar

If you want to get people to turn up to an event, or convince them to fill in a form, mascots are the way to really grab people’s attention. The fact that mascots are used so extensively in Japan is a sign that they are worthwhile; perhaps their less frequent use in the UK could be a gap for you to exploit in your next marketing campaign?